It's Just Not Enough
by Reyfan01
Summary: Casey Jones loves hockey and loves being on the team. So how did he get himself kicked off? April wants to know but Casey won't talk. And how does Irma know?


[I don't know if this qualifies as romance but I think it does. I figured Casey can't be on the hockey team and with the turtles so…. I did this]

"Kicked off the hockey team?" April questions if she heard Casey right. April noticed Casey walking passed her locker in the hallway looking depressed. She never saw him so down before. He had slump shoulders, a slow walk, and hands in his pockets. She stopped him to see what was wrong and he looked her in the eye and spoke.

"Yep, I'm out. Coach said I ran out of chances." He said looking down now with a sigh scratching the back of his head.

"Casey I'm so sorry. I know how much you loved being on the team" April said putting her had on his arm consoling him.

"Yeah well, I was getting tired of playing on a team of wimps anyway." He said putting his hands back in his pocket putting on his best 'I don't care' face. He turned his head avoiding eye contact.

"What happened?" April asked.

"It was nothing, forget about it" He said still not looking at her hoping she'd drop the subject.

April was having none of that. "It wasn't nothing Casey. What happened? Did you get into a fight or…"

"I said drop it alright" He said. It was more of a demand. His voice sounded annoyed.

"I'll see ya tomorrow ok. I'm not stopping by the lair tonight." Casey said walking passed April without looking at her.

"Casey!" April calls out but he wasn't listening. She looks on concerned as to what got her friend kicked off the team.

"Hey April" Irma calls out from behind her. She gets no response then looks at April's concerned face. "What's wrong" she asks.

"Casey just told me he got kicked off the team, but he won't tell me why" April says.

"Oh that, I know why he got the boot" Irma says with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"What? How do you know?" April questions.

"Ya know that girl Mae" She starts.

"Big feet, bird nose?" April responds.

"Yep. Her brother's on the hockey team and she was telling me that he told her that Casey got into quite a brawl with another guy on the team." Irma explains.

"I should have known it was a fight" April says rolling her eyes. "He's got a temper problem."

"But what you don't know is what the fight was about." Irma says with a grin. April looks intrigued.

WHAT HAPPENED….

"Yo Jones, me and the guys were heading out to grab a bite, you in?" asked a large player. He was about Casey's height but a little more filled out. He had black spiky hair, and green eyes.

"Can't dude I got a study session with April." Casey responds. They were in the locker room ready to leave.

"Again? Jones you've been seeing a lot of this April chick" He asked.

"Well yeah, she's my tutor. I need her help to stay on the team" Casey explains putting his gear in his locker.

"I never thought a girl that looks like that would be smart enough to tutor a dope like you" He comments.

"Well she is and tough dude. You have no idea" Casey says back with a smile.

" Yeah but she is kind of a freak" He says. Casey's hand stops putting his stuff in his locker and pauses. The guys next to him see this and look uneasy.

"What did you say?" Casey asked looking up at his teammate with a look that was daring him to continue.

"Ah come on man. The whole school knows it. The chick barely talks at all except to that weird goth girl. And a buddy o' mine told me that he sees her going down to the sewer sometimes at night. Now tell me how's that not weird?" The guy says. Casey tightens his fists as you hear them tighten with every word.

"Well any dude who's a 'buddy o' yours' can't be all that bright if he's hanging with you" Casey retorts crossing his arms across his chest.

The guys all back away from wherever they were standing to give space to the two teammates.

"Maybe he was seeing things. A lot of weird things have happened here. It coulda been something else." Casey says blocking any serious thought that would lead to more curiosity over why April goes in the sewer.

"Nah nah, he saw with his own eyes. He swore he saw her going down to that sewer. Who goes to the sewer? Maybe that's where she goes to hang out with her rat friends or whatever is swimming in that junk."The guy says with a smirk.

"Ya know you're reeeeallly starting to tick me off Cipes. I'd watch that mouth of yours" Casey threatens grabbing for his hockey stick slowly with a deadly glare.

"Or what, you're gonna make it look like yours?" The guy eggs on.

"Worse" Casey replies.

"Hey just because you're friends with some freaky sewer chick, don't get all steamed cuz I just tell it like it is." The guy defends but still wears a smirk.

The room is silent and Casey's glare grows deeper. His grip on his stick tightens. His body then loosens up and his snarl turns into a grin. He chuckles lightly. He calmly walks up to his teammate dragging his stick in one hand. The guy looks confused.

"Ah…see now, now…you've made me angry" He says with a playful smile before swinging his stick right to his teammate's gut slamming him into his locker. The impact was rough and the sound echoed loudly in the room. Casey lifts his stick up going for a head shot before the guys come in and grab his arms holding him back.

"Let go o' me! This dude needs to learn a lesson!" Casey shouts. The guy holds his gut and grimaces in pain before tackling Casey and taking some of the other guys with him. Casey gets up and swings his stick again and again. The guy dodges a few shots backing away but gets caught in some too. Casey backs him up against a locker holding his stick up against the guy's chest. He presses into him making sure the guy can't move.

"Get this through your thick head Cipes! Never EVER trash talk about April O Neil got it!" Casey threatens. The guy known as Cipes looked scared.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" Screams the coach.

Casey drops his stick and lets Cipes go. He drops down possibly unconscious. The coach looks at Cipes on the ground then at Casey who is refusing eye contact.

"Jones, my office now" He demands.

BACK TO PRESENT

"It was a fight about me?" April asks.

"Kind of yeah. He beat up some dumb jock for trash talking about you. I gotta give that guy more credit. He must really care about you to get kicked off the team for some guy's meaningless insults. His methods are primal but his heart is in the right place." Irma comments.

"So why couldn't he tell me?"April asks.

"Who knows. Maybe he just didn't want you to think it was your fault." Irma says. April feels a little guilty now. Casey loved hockey, a little too much. He probably knew he was going to get into trouble for fighting.

It's the end of the day and Casey is about to walk out of the school before April catches up to him.

"CASEY WAIT!" April shouts. Casey turns his head and sees April running to him. "What's up Red?" He questions with his hands in his pocket.

"Look Casey I know why you got kicked off the team. And I'm sorry you got kicked off the team because of me. But.." April is interrupted.

"I didn't get kicked off because of you" Casey says quickly. "At least not just you." He explains. April is confused.

WHAT WENT ON IN THE COACH'S OFFICE

"Gotta say Jones I'm getting real sick and tired of these fights you get yourself in" Coach says aggravated.

"Hey Cipes deserved it for what he said about…"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT HE SAID JONES! The problem is that you can't keep your temper in check! I've given you more chances than you deserve and you keep blowing them" Coach says. He sighs exhausted.

"I don't know what your problem is Jones. You're 18 now. Most states consider you an adult but you're still in high school acting like you should be in high school. You've got 2 more years of experience than the rest of the guys but they're better sports than you ever were. You've got real skills on the ice Jones. Real aggression, but during practice you always take it too far and end up injuring your own teammates." He says.

"Not my fault those guys can't take a hit" Casey says groaning.

"Now see it's that kind of attitude that gets you in these situations. I've been getting calls from parents asking me who jumped their kids. Imagine their surprise when I say their kids are hurt because ONE guy likes to play a little too rough. That's on the ice and maybe more or two shots to the gut and head when you're wearing your gear. Now you went and messed Cipes up without any protection. Don't think his parents won't press charges. I can convince them to not to, but its gonna cost ya." Coach said sadly.

"I know" Casey says looking down.

"I'm sorry Jones, you're off the team. You can come by tomorrow to empty your locker." Coach says with regret.

Casey nods and gets up. "I'm sorry, but I can't risk you hurting my players anymore." He says. Casey turns around and walks out.

BACK TO PRESENT

"So ya see I've had a bad rep for my temper for years. Just this time coach says I took it too far." Casey explains.

"Still I'm sorry." April says again as they walk out.

"Don't worry about it" Casey waves off.

"You're right though. Those guys are probably just wimps that can't keep up. You're better suited for crime fighting anyway." April says with a smirk.

Casey smiles back at her. "Yeah I mean when I fought those robots with. Raph it felt awesome! I hadn't felt like that since my first hockey game!" Casey said reminiscing

"See, hockey probably isn't enough for you anymore. Playing on team with rules and regulations is too restricting for you. I think crime fighting is what you were meant to do Casey." April said putting her hand on his shoulder. Casey looks her in the eyes and smiles.

"Thanks April." He says. "Well I guess that knocks off pro hockey player when I graduate."

"I always did think you were better as an international bounty hunter." April says playfully.

Casey chuckles. April looks down and smiles. "And, I didn't say this before but, I thought it was sweet how you stuck up for me with that guy."

"Anytime Red. Those guys don't know how cool you really are. You're somethin' else. Perfect A student and kick butt fighter, I'm beginning to think there isn't anything you CAN'T do" Casey says smoothly. April gasps lightly and blushes at the compliment. She smiles and looks the other way.

"Thanks." She says looking up at him smiling. Casey smiles back. They smile at each other for quite some time. April blinks and shakes her head trying to keep cool again.

"Anyway, let's get down to the lair. You still need help in trig to graduate and I won't take no for an answer" April says straightforward.

"Whatever you say Red whatever you say" Casey says cooly as they walk off together.


End file.
